Regional Active Travel Grant

RTPs were established in December 2005 to strengthen the planning and delivery of regional transport so that it better serves the needs of people and businesses. In 2023-24, £4.3m was provided to RTPs through the Regional Active Travel Grant (RATG). While the RATG was a capital fund, and delivered significant infrastructure improvements, it could also be used for other purposes, and supported a range of activities, including design and construction of infrastructure, mobility hubs, community engagement, monitoring, and business development. From 2024-25, the RATG has been closed, with RTPs able to access infrastructure funding through Tier 2 of the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund.

This fund supported 56 projects in total, with 29 completing design stage and 27 projects being constructed. These included:

• Strategic mapping, feasibility, and design work for Active Travel infrastructure
• Monitoring and evaluation, junction assessments and improvements, mobility hubs
• Shared use paths and quiet routes
• Smaller scale interventions such as bike shelters and minor path improvements

Table 7: RATG Headlines

Year	Investment	New infrastructure length	Upgraded infrastructure length	Projects supported	Partners supported	Average construction cost
2023-24	£4.3 million	N/A	N/A	56	5 RTPs	£94k

This project improved an unclassified minor road which connects the town of Glencoe to several nearby trip generators, including tourist attractions and accommodation sites. Following extensive engagement with the local community and the LA roads team, HiTrans commissioned data to baseline the pre-intervention usage of the road. The speed limit was lowered and non-prescribed signage installed.

This project will be monitored as a potential path-finder for future Quiet Route interventions across the region, with two Quiet Routes already being prepared for Skye at Sleat and Raasay.